Will Kayce Dutton Ever Date Again? Luke Grimes Answers That Question…
on Mar 12, 2026
Marshals Reveals That Kayce Dutton’s Wife, Monica, Has Died
Kayce Dutton is the lead character in the new Yellowstone spin-off Marshals, which premiered on Sunday, March 1. The dramatic new series follows Kayce as he pursues a “new beginning” after the death of his wife, Monica.
We didn’t know about Monica’s death before Marshals premiered. But fans had their suspicions when she wasn’t mentioned or shown in any of the show’s promotional material.
Then, during the show’s first episode, we learned that Monica died from cancer. It’s believed that toxins dumped on the Broken Rock Reservation may have contributed to her illness and death.
When explaining why they chose to write such a tragic fate for Monica, Marshals creator Spencer Hudnut told TV Insider:
“We had to shake up [Kayce’s] life, to get him off the ranch and into a new position.”
Luke Grimes, the actor who plays Kayce, echoed that idea. He told Entertainment Weekly:
“Obviously, we can’t just watch this guy have his dream life. There’s no drama. Something’s gonna have to happen that gets in the way of him having that. Otherwise, why is he gonna take a badge? The last time we saw him, he was throwing a badge in a field. Is he gonna go pick it up?“
What Does Luke Grimes Think About Kayce Dutton Finding Love Again?
After learning about Monica’s death, Marshals viewers began wondering whether Kayce would find love again on the show. Although the cast and crew will never say “never,” they are saying, “not yet.”
Luke Grimes shared his feelings about Kayce dating someone new. He made it clear he isn’t ready for the character to take that step any time soon.
“Shooting a scene where I was kissing someone [else] would feel like I was cheating,” he told Entertainment Weekly. “Like, I would feel so guilty. I really would, in Luke’s heart, feel like I was cheating on someone because it was just that important to him. It’s gotta take some time.”
Luke isn’t ruling out the idea entirely, but said, “It’s gotta take a sec.”
It’s understandable why Luke feels that way. He and Kelsey Asbille, who played Monica, became extremely close during the years they worked together on Yellowstone.
When Luke learned about Monica’s death in Marshals, he called Kelsey to check on her personally.
“We had a great conversation,” he told TV Insider. “In true Kelsey fashion, she handled it like a pro and totally understood. She’s going to do just fine.“
Two episodes of Marshals have been released so far. The series premiere attracted 9.52 million viewers, making it the most-watched new series premiere of the 2025-2026 broadcast season. This made the premiere the largest for a scripted series on CBS without a football lead-in since 2018.
Additionally, the episode maintained 99% viewership retention from the first half to the second.
New episodes of Marshals air on CBS every Sunday at 8 PM Eastern Time. Those with a Paramount+ Premium subscription can stream new episodes at the same time. Paramount+ Essential subscribers have to wait until Monday to stream new episodes.
Even if Marshals won’t feature a new romance, the show is guaranteed to be jam-packed with action and drama. Logan Marshall-Green, who plays Kayce’s friend and co-worker, Cal, teased a future “strife” between the two characters that could have disastrous results.
Have you been enjoying Marshals so far? Let us know!
